Skimmer dial in help for PM Bullet 2

[luv951]

On my PM bullet 2, it seemed like I had it dialed in pretty nicely. I knew the rough position of the air intake valve, and had marked where the gate valve should be to produce nice skimmate.

But then lately, the old gate valve position is causing the water level to be about 3/4 of the way up the skimmer body and it keeps overflowing. I would think that the same setting would produce the same result, but its not true. Why?

Is it normal with these skimmers that the ideal position of the gate valve is not constant? I have had it for about three months, and the GV position that I marked worked until a week ago.

Nothing else in my tank has really changed in that time.

 

[luv951]

anyone?

 

[luv951]

really? come on guys.

 

[luv951]

wow, guess I am the only one on reef central that owns a Precision Marine skimmer.

You all must have Euro Reef, Deltec and Bubble King.....

Sarcasm over -

Seriously, can anyone help here??? or at least point me to a message board that can?

 

[Rizing]

have you cleaned the beckett or pump? might try the beckett and make shure air valve is clear

 

[luv951]

Thanks Rizing.

I have cleaned everything. The overflowings seems to have stopped, but I go back to my original question. The gate valve is nowhere near the position that it has been in for the last couple of months. The unit was clean before I installed it, and it took a week or two of tinkering to dial it in, then I marked the position. Is this normal? Should I expect to have to adjust that gate valve very often?

confused....

 

[smackwater]

Bet there are people on here that wished
they only had to adjust there skimmers
every 3months
The skimmer has no moving parts.
so I would think its not normal
to have to go adjust anything,
other than fine tuning.
(levels of doc's can affect a dialed in skimmers.)
Sounds like theres been a change in water pressure
or air intake volume.
If your water level has raised
then the air has been restricted somehow most likely
or your pump is moving more water.
also Is your return above the water line in the sump?
I used bullet2 for years mine was very consistant

 

[luv951]

Nothing has changed. Last night, I spent hours cleaning this thing, every component. I just logically think that if a certain setting worked for so long, why does it only work now if it is set completely differently.

Maybe I am just being obtuse and should deal with it.

At this point, its producing foam, but it only fills the riser tube - it does not seem to be able to push the foam out into the collection cup. I took a step back and followed the directions for set up since I felt that maybe I had taken a wrong turn.

As a veteran of these things can I ask a couple more questions:

Where do you generally have the water level, with the air intake off?

Roughly how far open do you run the air intake? I have always had success between 5 and 6 o'clock

Thanks for replying - I just want to understand this thing.....

 

[smackwater]

I believe I had my air open about 80%. and the water level was close to level with the box to up 1" from it. level with the box very dry junky stuff. 1" up was coffee brown
Easiest way is to open GV all the way and open air about 75% then slowly close GV till your water reaches prefered height. it takes afew minutes for the water to level after each adjustment of the gate valve so be patient dont crank it. Theres about a 1/4 of a turn or less between dry chunky and coffee
I was using panworld 150. skimmers will adjust different according to the pump used. do you have intake screens on the inlet side of your pump if so make sure its clean

 

[luv951]

Thanks! I will double check the intake side, but I am pretty sure its clean. The help is greatly appreciated - its actually the opposite of what PM says. They say close the air inlet and adjust the gate valve.

I think I am going to try your way - it makes sense to me.

Thanks Again!

 

[mm949]

decreased air volume will cause more water in the skimmer....keep the injector clean and the venturi air hole....

PM is correct NO air for adujsting the water line....use air valve strickly for FINE tuning(not the gate valve) depending on disired skim...

good luck....I love my PM skimmers

 

[Wryknow]

I always found that I had to adjust my gate valve a little bit every couple of days to maintain optimum skimming on my PM 1, particularly after a cleaning. (Open the gate valve a bit after a good cleaning and then tighten it up a little bit in between.) Depending on how high your skimmer is above the water line water level fluctuations can make a difference too.

The PM isn't quite "set it and forget it" but it's pretty good over-all.

 

[luv951]

Thanks guys....still no overflows since my thorough cleaning, so at least thats dealt with.

As for the adjusting - I appreciate the advice and since last night, it has not filled the cup, but the riser tube is filled with foam that just sits there.

At least I know that regular adjusting seems to be normal, so if thats what it needs, then thats what I will do.

Again - THANKS ALL!

 

[sditch]

I would not get to concerned about the ajustments changeing from time to time, this is normal as performance of pumps, water levels(pressure), DOM and many other factors plays a part of what ajustment should work.

I have to tune my skimmer everytime I clean it......

 

[ihopss]

Try ) take the cap of the top,it may be the exhaust I do not have a PM butt that works for mine.

 

[luv951]

It drains to a collector cup that keeps the pressure right, I believe. Interesting idea though - I may just try it for fun to see what happens.